The Pitung

The Pitung story comes from a region in Indonesia, which is Jakarta (before called as Batavia). Pitung lived in a Holland colonialism era. He was a child of Mr. Piun and Mrs. Pinah. Pitung’s parents are farmer. Pitung worked every day to help his parents in farming, picked up coconut from the tree, and looked for grass for his cattle.

Pitung always helped his neighbor whose need any help. Pitung was a person who obeys God. He was praying and fasting as his father asked him. His father also asked Pitung to did and spoke in a polite way.

Pitung was lived in Rawabedong village. In that village they had a landlord Mr. Liem Tjeng Soen. So, every villager there must pay a land tax to him. Mr. Liem would give tax money to Holland. When took tax Mr. Liem was helped by his bodyguard which was came from indigenous villager. The bodyguards were people who were clever in strived and played weapon. The purpose was to made villager afraid with them, so they would not against and denied the rule.

One day Pitung helped his father harvest their rice field. When he arrived at home he was surprised by saw Mr. Liem bodyguards at his house and angry with his father. Pitung walked to get closer with his father and asked Mr. Liem’s bodyguard.

Pitung : “Hey, what are you doing? What is my father fault?”

Bodyguard : “just asked to your father”

Mr. Liem’s bodyguard went and brought all of rice they take in harvest. In his heart Pitung said “Just wait what would I did”.

Next day, Pitung walked away along the village, He saw Mr. Liem’s bodyguard did much kind of bad things. They took villager’s cattle such as chickens, goats, and also coconuts, rice from villager without a pity. As a citizen Pitung feel had any responsibility on that situation, he wasn’t taken on calm way. He got closer with Mr. Liem’s bodyguard and the conversation happened.

Pitung : “stopped, coward! How could you taken from another”

Bodyguard : “who were you? How could you so dare? You didn’t know who were we?”

Pitung : “I didn’t care who you were. But what you did wasn’t right.”

Listen of Pitung words make Mr. Liem’s bodyguard leader (called “Centeng”) feel angry. He got closer to Pitung and attacked him (he thought Pitung would be easy to be attacked). Pitung counter attacked to Mr. Liem’s bodyguard leader and him down easily. Another Mr. Liem’s bodyguard that consist of five person come to get closer with Pitung and attacked Pitung together but Pitung can win the Beatle easily. After got in lost they run away. Before both of them went away, one of Mr. Liem’s bodyguard scream: “watch out! I would asked to big boss about it”

One day Mr. Piun (Pitung’s father) asked Pitung to sell their goat to Tanah Abang traditional market. Mr. Piun needed money for family needed. Pitung go to Tanah Abang to sell the goat. Without his awareness one of Mr. Liem bodyguard that followed behind him. When Pitung take a rest and take a bath in a river Mr. Liem bodyguard stole Pitung’s money (that he got from sell his goat).

In a home, Pitung so surprised because lost his money. He decided to turn back to Tanah Abang and looking for person who stole his money. Finally, he found Mr. Liem bodyguard’s which stole his money and asked them to return his money back.

Pitung : “turn my money back”

Bodyguard : “You can take this money, but you must be our member”

Pitung : “no way. I will never want to be your member”

All of Mr. Liem bodyguard’s were angry to hear Pitung answer and they attacked Pitung together. Pitung could solve all of their attacked easily. Since that time Pitung decided to help a poor people by took a rich people money and spread to the poor. Some of Mr. Liem bodyguard’s followed him and they make a group which consist of people want to help poor that be crushed by Holland.

Pitung name become so popular in a poor people. So many landowner and people who took a benefit by Holland side become uncomfortable and they asked this situation this problem to Holland ministry. So Holland ministry make announcement to trap the Pitung. Schout Heyne, commander of Holland soldier asked to everybody who knew where Pitung are would get much money.

Pitung knew if he were fugitive so he move on in many different placed. He still helped many poor people. Every wealth he got from stole, always gave to the poor.

One day Pitung and his group were trapped by Holland police. On that time they were robbed a rich people whose had been guard by Holland police. When Pitung and his group came Holland police made encircle attacked to Pitung. Pitung made he arrested and asked his group’s member to run away. Pitung was arrested and entered to the jail.

Pitung was clever and sacred he can run away in the night by opened the jail’s roof. In the morning Holland polices were panic because Pitung wasn’t in the jail anymore.

The news of Pitung run away make Holland police and rich people was uncomfortable. Then Schout Heyne commanded to Holland police arrested Pitung’s parents and teacher. They were forced to say where Pitung were? All of them were silent, so be entered to the jail.

The news about his parent were arrested came to Pitung. Pitung sent a message and said “I will give up if my parents and my master are get the freedom”. Schout Heyne agrees with the requirement from Pitung. All of them were meet each other in a court. Pitung’s parents were released first and Holland police still arrested Haji Naipin. Then this conversation held:

Pitung :”get off my master”

Heyne :”I will, after you truly give up”

Listen of Heyne request Pitung walked into middle of the court. Holland police shoot Pitung as a target.

Heyne : “finally, you are arrested now“

Pitung : “yes. But I will run away again from all of you, coward”

Listen of Pitung words, Heyne become angry and command all of Holland police to kill him. Pitung died as one of hero that will be remembered every time. All of villager feel lost him; they are pray for Pitung rest in peace.